Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  08/02/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  1. On June 27, I contacted Darrel C*********, Owner of Vega Motorsport and agreed to have the company apply **** Ceramic Coating to my vehicle. His staff member, Eugene, assessed the work to be done (buffing, removing scratches and dents, and applying the coating (The total cost was $1696 ($900 coating/ $700 to remove dents/$96 taxes). 2 Being unhappy/dissatisfied, I informed Eugene of my displeasure. He told me to purchase touch up paint and that he would apply it to the scratches and order a new emblem. 3. Touch up paint was applied Friday, July 22. However, paint bubbles were visible all over my car. Eugene was informed and he said that the bubbles should smooth out but he would buff out the bubbles when I scheduled an appointment for the emblem, once it arrived. 4. Being completely dissatisfied, July 30, I contacted Mr. C********* with my dissatisfaction. He met with me to review the work and see first-hand what was wrong. He agreed that my vehicle did not look good and that he would repair the hood vents, buff and redo the ceramic coating. 5. On July 31, at 5:26 PM, I texted Mr. C********* to document our conversation and understanding and thank him the meeting. Within seconds of sending the text, I received a very disturbing and the most disrespectful profanity lased call from Mr. C*********. His voice was harsh and elevated with language I will not repeat. He called me a liar, indicated that he did not agree with my assessment, that he will never do business with me again, and hung up the phone without allowing me to respond. 6. The verbal assault was an experience and I do not wish on anyone; As a senior citizen, it was horrifying. Because he had my address and phone number, I was unable to sleep that night and was concerned for my health and safety. I will not recommend this business to anyone. The experience left me confused. I asked the Better Business Bureau to intervene and have the money I paid for the unsatisfactory work returned to me.

  Business response

  08/18/2022

  Tell us why here...Attention BBB:
  
  We are disappointed to see the comments posted by a customer regarding the service they received and characterization of our communications in connection with our services and we are grateful for the opportunity to provide context and clarity. 
  
  VEGA Motosport has operated in the Waldorf Community for over sixteen years, approximately ten of which the complainant (Client) has been a customer. We have provided beyond satisfactory service on her vehicle and never previously engaged in any dispute.
  
  Around mid July 2022, the client requested “Ceramic Coating” and related dent removal and buffing services on her vehicle (2006 ******* **).  Our master Technician with over fifteen years of experience completed the job to the Client’s satisfaction to which she paid in full (a total of $1696.00; $900.00 for the Ceramic Coating - $700 for Dent Removal and Buffing - $96.00 Taxes) .I personally witnessed the completed job and remarked that the improvement was impressive given the age of the car and its significant paint wear , dents and scratches.
  
  Since this was a only “Ceramic Coating Service”; not a “Paint Job” , existing scratches and color fades could not be fully remediated. Yet the completed work enhanced the overall image of the vehicle. Approximately one week later, the Client striving for perfection requested that the faded spots; where the paint had faded down to the metal chassis be “touched Up” with paint she received from the Dealership that was a supposed match to the original 2006 Color.
  
  While we were skeptical that the paint match would be exact, the client asked us to proceed with the touch- up anyway. Upon drying however we all realized that the dealer paint she supplied was not an exact match and the appearance of the vehicle suffered. The client was not happy with the outcome and requested that we restore the car back to   the previous state (Prior to the paint touch up). The service technician offered to address the most significant areas at no cost but she was not satisfied.
  
  The Clients response was to send me a “Contract” like document (via Text)  shifting all accountability for the ill advised outcome to Vega Motorsport; virtually asking us to repaint her car.
  
  In a subsequent phone conversation with the client I expressed that I was disappointed in her approach to shift liability to us even though we offered to provide a reasonable remedy at no cost because of the long standing relationship. Still not satisfied and somewhat angry, she hung up the phone.
  
  We take the client’s assertion of threat and risk to her health and safety very seriously  and to extend a disagreement about work product and pricing to fear for health and safety is meritless given that this has never happened in our entire business history. As a fellow senior citizen I am disappointed that the client chose to resolve the issue in this manner considering the many overtures of consideration and discounts we provided her over the last ten years.
  
  Sincerely,
  Darrel C***********

  Customer response

  09/06/2022

  Case # _#*******

  
  

  As a matter of introduction, I serviced 26 years in the U.S. **** as an officer’s wife. I also served this nation as public service for more than 35 years in the US Government. I am a senior citizen who is grateful to God for guiding me through this life for over 66 years. Over those years and through experience I know that ‘perfection’ is a myth, but contentment can be had. 

  
  

  In response to Mr. C********** submission, please recognize that I was already traumatized, by the profane laced tirade I received from him on July 31, 2022 and now, after reading his reply, I am not only traumatized but deeply concerned that over the last 10 years I have been truly dealing with an imposture or perhaps, a Dr. Jackal and Mr. Hyde. Mr. C**********’s response demonstrates a good command of the English language, but his words have no meaningful value; do not represent the truth and can be best described as well written lies.

  
  

  While I would like to go paragraph-by-paragraph through Mr. C**********’s response to highlight his dishonesty, duplicity, and disinformation, I prefer to just bring to your attention the facts, proof, and evidence.

  1.   1, My car is a 2008 ******* **; not a 2006 as Mr. C********** repeated in his response. It would appear to me that someone who detailed and washed your car for 10 years would know its year, make, and model.

  2.     2. Over the 10 years Mr. C********** detailed and washed my car, the work he performed was ‘satisfactory’ at best and never ‘beyond satisfactory’ as he indicated. I challenge Mr. C********** to produce any records of tips or statements, oral or in writing, that attest to anything other than satisfactory. Additionally, please know that on many occasions the work performed was not fully acceptable, but I did not complain because I felt the technicians did the best they could do.

  3. Mr. C********** is not correct regarding the matter of the ceramic coating; within one week of picking up my car from the ceramic coating, I returned it to Vega and informed Mr. C**********’s assistant, Eugene, of my complete dissatisfaction with the coating and the quality of the workmanship performed (My compliant about the quality and workmanship performed was not outside the time provided by the implied warranty stated by Eugene.) If Mr. C********** ‘personally witnessed the completed job’ as he indicates in his response, then he must except full and personal responsibility for the work being unacceptable and my dissatisfaction with the work performed.

  I was told by Eugene to get ‘touch up paint’ from the car dealership for my car for him to apply to the spots that the ceramic coating failed to cover. The touch up paint was obtained in accordance with my car VIN#. At no time, after I gave the paint to Eugene, did he or anyone from Vega inform me that it was the incorrect touch up paint and at no time, did I inform or instruct Eugene to proceed with the touch up paint – I just picked it up from the dealership as I was told and gave it to him as he asked me to do.

  As a matter of fact, I am just the customer, I have no knowledge of the requirements for touch up paint or its application to ceramic coating. I completely relied on the

  knowledge and expertise of Vega to perform the work I paid them to do.

  Mr. C*********’s suggestion that the paint was not an exact match was something he should have discovered before applying it to my car. His suggestion that I am ‘shifting all accountability to Vega,’ is outrageous and ludicrous. Again, as previously stated, Vega was hired to do the work as the experts and professionals – I am just the customer.

  If necessary, the paint and its specifications can be made available for review and validation by the BBB.

  4.    4. After the touch up paint was applied, bubbles were visible all over my car and I complained about the workmanship and Eugene who told me that he would buff out the bubbles when I bring the car back to have the emblem for my car reinstalled (the emblem was removed and not replaced during the initial coating work.)

  After researching the subject of ceramic coating, I learned that before the coating is applied, my car should have been properly prepared to include sanding and buffing all visible areas of imperfection before the coating is applied. I seriously believe that the touch up paint, if necessary, should have been applied before the coating took place.

  With this understanding, my thoughts were that the solution offered by Eugene to correct the visible bubbles on my car were troubling. So, to assure that work required to make my car acceptable was performed, I called Mr. C********** to seek his involvement.

  I met with Mr. C********** on July 31 at his facility and he agreed to take the corrective actions indicated in my complaint. As a follow up, I sent him a message to document our meeting; the action he said he would take and to thank him for getting involved.

  However, after reading my message, it appears Mr. C********** concluded that I sent him a ‘contract like document’ (his words) which apparently irritated him and caused him to call me on my cell phone, immediately, and deny that he agreed to any remedy; he verbally assaulted and berated me with foul language, cruse words, and said that he would ‘never do business with me again’ and slammed his phone down in my ear without giving me a chance to say anything but ‘Hello.’

  He left me in a state of shock and afraid, as his behavior was completely unacceptable, not normal, and out-of-order for a business owner. His communication with me was applauding and unexpected, as we had just met and spoke congenially the day before. It was especially alarming because I had been a loyal customer with his company for 10 years.  

  5. It’s important to recognize that in Mr. C**********’s response, he indicated that he offered me a ‘reasonable remedy’ to address my concerns which were documented in the message I sent to him but he, subsequently, denied doing the disrespectful call he made to me, immediately, thereafter. The fact that he made that statement offers proof that he met with me and discussed my concerns. It is also proof that his remark, that I was seeking ‘perfection’ instead of ‘corrective action’ was dishonest and an outright lie.

  6.      6. Given the verbal and disrespectful assault Mr. C************ inflicted upon me, his statement that he would never do business with me again, and his attack on my character I do not wish to ever do business with him or his company again and will never recommend his business. My only desire is to have him return the $900 I paid Vega for its unacceptable and unsatisfactory work. I believe this is the best and most reasonable offer that can take place to settle our dispute and move on.

  Please know that this is not a condition for settling my complaint or made to antagonize Mr. C**********, but I highly recommend he consider signing up for an anger management class or something similar.

  For your information, please know that I have a witness that will testify to my conversations with Eugene, Mr. C**********’s assistant, and the statements he made regarding the work he would perform and the warranties of Vega’s workmanship.

  Additionally, because the work performed by Vega was so bad, unsatisfactory, and embarrassing I had another ceramic car coating company correct Vega’s unacceptable work and redo the coating. That work included sanding out the bubbles, buffing, and performing a complete ceramic recoating of my car, at a cost of $1800. Pictures of my car, before and after, of the work are available for BBB’s review and the professional who performed the work is available as a witness, if necessary.    

  I ask the BBB to please leave my complaint and all responses (including Mr. C**********’s) on its website for public review. I am still very shaken by my unwarranted experience with Mr. C********** and it’s important that anyone thinking about doing business with Vega and its owner are aware of my experience.

  I thank you so much for considering my complaint and my response to the comments made by Mr. C**********.

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩